Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-12-02


ga thief, you young rsscal?"
ayes; who steals letters, and thereby
commits felony, as Reggie told me-"
replied Dick, who wss brave boy, and
his blood WAS up now.
Filled with rage that was no longer
goVernable, Mr.. Grimshaw grasped him
by the collar of his Jacket with one hand
and upllfted the whip with the other.
"Address me in that manner again,
and by all that is holy, I'll fog you
within en- inch OF your lifel"
"Flog away; you are coward enough
to do it, dare say"
Add he did lash him five or six times
cruellg, end just then Dick thought his
uDcle's side-uufts made him look more
like the devil than ever.
"Hah" exclaimed the latter; show do
you feel now?"
"That I uld take twice as much
MORE" replied Dick, trembling with rage
and pain, yet bravely depressing his tears.
Mr. GrimshsW raised the whip again,
but at that moment, Bingo, who had been
watching his opportunity, caught him by
the ankle with sharp and vengeful teeth,
tearing his flesh and his trousers together
with sharp and savage grip.
TAis served but to add fuel to Mr..
Grimshaw's fury, and he continued to
lash away at the shrinking and painting
boy, till an old servant who had nursed
him, Bethis Barlow, stout and active
woman, on hearing the noise, rushed be-
tween them, and without ceremony
grasp d Mr.. Grimshsw's right arm.
"Master-master-h your hand.
How dare your" she exclaimed.
"Dare?" questioned the other through
his clenched teeth.
ayes. Whist would his dead mother,
your own sister, think of all this?"
Grimshaw, In the plenitude of his
power and swing OF his fury just then,
felt pltiless; but old Bethia contrived to
d 'ag Dick away, and with full sense of
the part he had borne In the conflict,
Bingo prudently kept close to her skirts
and beyond the range of the hunting
whip.
Dick wss covered with discoloured
welts and weels. He smarted in every
limb, and painted rather than breathed,
so severely had he been handled; but not
even before old Bethia, who kindly drew
his head on her breast and stroked mis-
sunny hair, as she had often done in in
from MIN, though his young heart was
swelling with rage and indignation.
"I'll stand no more OF this!" said he,
with dry sob in his throat. 81 am
going away at last, Bethia. I have
thought it over many times. I leave the
house and never, never set foot in it
again"
mo, no, no. Master Dick" exclaimed
Bethia, caresslng him again.
81 shall, thought" said the boy.
"Don't speak thus, dear Master D lex
Don't say or think such thing" con-
5inued the old nurse, with tears in her
eyes; "wait till Miss Talbot-wait till
your sister Melauie returns"
"Poor Mcdaniel" said Dick, with an
other dry sob in his throat. "But her re-
turn can make no difference to M. an
going at last, say"
"Won't you tell me wherep"
ono, Bethia"
"Wby?"
"Because don't know myself. l only
wish to get away from he1e-awaY as far
Is possible" replied Dick, wilfully and
wildly.
"You will be lost, my poor boy"
"Not at ALL" said Dick, sturdily. He
lad read too many books by Captain
nayne Reid, Gustaye Aimsrd and others,
lot to have perfect confidence in himself,
&c sill the hey heroes therein, after facing
perils and adventures, had
always risen 10 fame and fortune. But.
TithaI, mis- sffectionate heart was soresglsi
lie thought of the gentle Melanie and poor
helpless Reggie. a
After time, when he thought himself
and unseen, he took BingoIn
lis arms, as if to protect his faithfuffnur
Dotted friend from further harm and
stole out Of the house Just as evening be-
gan to close, to wander, as Bethia thought
ne would do, till the dinner hour came.
But Dick Talbot had gone forth into the
world alone!
And when the frugal meal was spread
1y Gold Bethia, and Uncle Grimshaw, sui
Melanie then learned all that had occurred
n her absence, and felt inexpressibly
shocked and concerned.
Still she thought that Dick must ere
.ong appear, and hour by hour she
watched and waited. The sun began to
dull and sombre sun Of the clos
ing days OF November, and yet there
came no sign of the absent boy, and
when the night shadows began to fail and
Deepen, Melanie thought of the woods,
me ponds and meres that were in the vi
entity OF Rose cottage, and vague, I'M
spesksble, yet dreadful presentiment OF
evil-or evil that might have
already come to pass-crept coldly over
Ter.
An emotion of guilt, perhaps Of shame,
nut certainly not conjunction, made
Uncle Grimshaw at that time rather
void her, land Melanie threw herself into
IN old and somewhat crazy basket chair
n the recess of window, and resting
n elbew or the sill, looked ,ouf
With far away and yesrning gaze upon the
asst dsrkening night and black, tossing
branches OF the sutumnal trees, lonely,
.nxious, worn with tears and terrbr |
bout her brother-dear, droll Dick, who |
Gould have no friend with him but his pet |
log: and to add to the cherries gloom, a |
,enuine English drizzle was beginning to
alI.
MelAnie at this junctuTe had no one Of
whom she coula seek counsel. Their
mole, their only kinsman, was the cause
f her present misery, and old Bethis
'arlow WAS helpless to suggest sught but
Fhat was morbid or terrifying.
Often she started from her seat and
urried to the entrance door, to listen
nd look forth into another quarter, for
was source OF keen agony to think
hat, under the circumstances, her dsrl,
ng Dick, her winsome, blue eyed and
olden haired brother, was now q wan
erer, perhaps, in that darkness